Bidspirit auction | Ming Dynasty, Ancient Bronze Gemstone-Inlaid

Ming Dynasty, Ancient Bronze Gemstone-Inlaid Taiping Youxiang (Peace and Prosperity Elephant) - Cast in bronze as a standing elephant of imposing, generous proportions, its four legs planted firmly, back broad and level, bearing an expression of calm dignity and gentle composure. The head turns slightly forward, trunk gracefully curled beneath the chin, paired tusks gleaming smoothly forward. Elaborate headgear and saddle cloth flow across the body, carved with scrolling cloud and foliate patterns, punctuated by inlaid red and blue gemstones that sparkle like scattered stars against the rich bronze ground. Upon the elephant’s back rests a vessel atop a lotus pedestal: a vase with domed cover, waisted neck and rounded belly, ornamented with raised bosses and looped handles in perfect harmony with the elephant’s ornament. The bronze has developed a deep, mellow patina of warm, lustrous brown, the casting precise and assured throughout. An embodiment of the auspicious motif ”Peace and Prosperity” conveyed through the noble form of the elephant.